Riding the Raisina Tiger

Riding the Raisina Tiger - a Politico-military thriller about an Army Chief who decided to take things into his own hands. AVAILABLE FOR FREE DOWNLOAD ON 26 JAN ON OCCASION OF REPUBLIC DAY FROM https://www.amazon.com/Riding-Raisina-Tiger-Story-military-ebook/dp/B01ALCCNSS

Blogitorial

Click to read the article on Swordarm

Custom Search Engine - Scans Selected News Sites

Loading

Saturday, 20 September 2014

Amid reports of
withdrawal of troops in Ladakh, India and China today reiterated to
“pro-actively” resolve all outstanding differences based on ‘Panchsheel’ and
consolidate the Strategic and Cooperative Partnership for Peace and Prosperity
between the two countries.

Both New Delhi and
Beijing re-emphasised commitment to an early settlement of the boundary
question. They decided to pursue it as a “strategic objective” with the
conviction that this will advance the basic interests of both the countries.

The emphasis on
early resolution and characterising the objective as strategic assumes
significance in the backdrop of talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and
President Xi Jinping.

As President Xi
concluded his three-day maiden visit of India, where the boundary issue assumed
greater significance in the wake of incursions by the Chinese army and civilians
in Chumar and Demchok, the issue found mention in the joint statement released
today.

“During the visit, the two
sides exchanged views on the India-China boundary question and reiterated their
commitment to seek a fair, reasonable and mutually acceptable solution,
proceeding from the overall interests of bilateral relations. Recalling the
Agreement on the Political Parameters and Guiding Principles for the Settlement
of the Boundary Question signed in April 2005, both sides reiterated their commitment
to an early settlement of the boundary question and expressed their conviction
that this will advance basic interests of the two countries and shall,
therefore, be pursued as a strategic objective”, the statement said.

India and China reaffirmed the
utility and significance of the mechanism of Special Representatives (SRs) for
seeking a political settlement of the boundary question and of the Working
Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on the India-China Border Affairs
for handling border related matters. The mechanism was evolved during Prime
Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s tenure. As many as 17 rounds of meeting have
been convened between the two designated SRs so far.

Pending a final resolution of
the boundary question, the two sides would continue to make joint efforts to
maintain peace and tranquility in the border areas.

On the military ties, both
sides appear moving towards expanding cooperation noting that improved
bilateral military relations are conducive to building mutual trust and
confidence. While agreeing to hold the fourth joint army training
`Handi-in-Hand’’ exercises, both sides said similar engagement with navy and
air force would be held at a proper time.

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2014/20140920/nation.htm#12

MoD cannot promote Army officers on its whims:
AFT

Vijay Mohan

Tribune News
Service

Chandigarh,
September 19

Taking the
Ministry of Defence to task for altering and modifying the recommendations of a
duly selection board for promotion to the rank of Major General that were
approved by the Chief of Army Staff, the Armed Forces Tribunal (AFT) has held
that the appointing authority cannot ignore the selection panel or decline to
make appointments on its whims.

Ordering that an
aggrieved Brigadier be promoted to the rank of Major General and an additional
vacancy is required be created for him along with granting him consequential
service and financial benefits, the tribunal, in its order yesterday, pointed
out that the authorities appear to have been so obsessed to find ways to
promote a particular person that any representation that appeared to be a
hurdle was pushed aside without due application of mind.

Through the AFT
declined to judicially interfere in the promotion of the person, it observed
that there had been certain adverse inputs by the military intelligence against
the person and he had also been awarded a non-recordable censure for un-officer
like behaviour just days before the selection board meeting.

The AFT remarked
that though there was no discipline and vigilance ban on the person, a
non-recordable censure does not absolve him of un-officer like behaviour and
such opinion cannot be totally ignored or by-passed. It further observed that
though the person had higher “quantitative” score (max 95 out of 100) that the
petitioner, members of the selection board, who were senior generals and
specialists at their job, took a cdecision that such a person could not be
promoted and hence he was not given any marks for value judgment (5 out of
100).

Brig DN Singh had
contended that there were 14 vacancies from his branch. While the results for
13 were declassified, one was kept in abeyance after MoD sought clarifications
from Army. Neither his name nor that of the respondent person was included in
the list of 13.

New Delhi: The
Army has apprised the PMO of the latest situation in Ladakh where Chinese
troops have entered Indian territory in Chumar and have been engaged in a
face-off situation with own troops for the last one week.

The Army has
apprised the Prime Minister's Office and the Defence Ministry of the situation
in Ladakh, sources said here.

Around 35 PLA
personnel are perched atop a hillock in Chumar claiming the area to be part of
China, while another 300 soldiers were maintaining presence close to Line of
Actual Control (LAC).

Earlier this week,
around 300 PLA personnel had entered Indian territory in Chumar for
construction of a road but were stopped by the Indian Army personnel from
moving ahead.

India and China
have so far held more than two flag meetings to resolve the issue, which has
been taken up at the highest levels between the two countries, but the Chinese
troops have not returned.

Army sources said
the chances of having more flag meetings to address the issue are bleak as they
were not yielding many results.

Chumar, the last
village in Ladakh area bordering Himachal Pradesh, has been a bone of
contention with China claiming it to be its own territory and has been
frequenting the area with helicopter incursions almost every year.

Chumar had become
a flash point during the fortnight long stand-off last year in Daulat Beg Oldie
(DBO) as the Chinese side had objected to overhead bunkers erected by the
Indian side.

Washington:
America is keen to sustain and strengthen its military relationship with India,
US Army Chief said on Friday ahead of the Modi-Obama Summit at the White House
later this month.

"India and
the United States have a lot in common....They are the two large democracies. I
think it is important for us to build trust between the two militaries and we
energise our relationship," General Raymond T Odierno said.

On India US Joint
military exercise 'Yudh Abhyas 2014' coinciding with Chinese President Xi
Jinping's India visit, he said it was planned much in advance and had nothing
to do with the timing of Xi's trip.

"This
exercise (Yudh Abhyas) was planned quite some time ago. So this was not a
reaction (to the visit of the Chinese President). We had coordinated these
exercises some time ago," General Odierno told Defence Writers Groups in a
breakfast meeting.

The General said
that China was also invited to participate in this joint India-US military
exercise in Uttarakhand which began on September 17.

"In fact one
time we actually invited the Chinese to participate in it. So it was not
something that we were hiding from the Chinese or we had planned it long time
ago," he said in response to a question.

Gen Odierno, who
visited India some 18 months ago, said he had a really good visit and had an
opportunity to "understand, what they are doing and how they are
developing."

"We want to
sustain that over the time. As we look in the future, in this complex
world...the key is having solid partners that trust each other. Building these
partnership is part of it and India plays an important role in that," he
said.

The annual Yudh
Abhyas military exercise started this week under the aegis of Garud
Division/Surya Command and is 10th in the series of combined military training
exercises between India and the US. It will continue till September 30.

Prime Minister
Narendera Modi will meet US President Barack Obama at the White House on
September 29 and 30.

BAREILLY: In a
departure from tradition, perhaps for the first time, national flags of both
America and India were unfurled together amidst playing of the Indian national
anthem marking the beginning of the joint military exercises at Chaubatiya
forest range under Ranikhet military station.

Both the armies
would be showcasing their best military equipment and technology during this
two-week joint endeavour.

Indian and US
soldiers stood side by side and gave a ceremonial salute to the two seniormost
officers of both countries as they reviewed the lineup. The US contingent was
represented by Company and Brigade Headquarters from an Infantry Division of US
Army while the Indian side was represented by an equivalent strength from a
Mountain Brigade of Garud division, said a senior officer.

In his address,
Major General Ashwani Kumar welcomed the US soldiers and urged both contingents
to achieve optimum cohesion and interoperability to achieve military objectives
of the exercise. He stressed upon the importance of free exchange of ideas and
concepts between the troops and the necessity to learn from each others'
experiences.

The focus of the
ongoing exercise is to carry out Counter Insurgency and Counter Terrorist
Operations in mountainous terrain under United Nations (UN) Charter. The event
will also see the contingents hone their tactical and technical skills in
countering insurgency and terrorism in UN peace keeping scenario involving a
Brigade Headquarter, an Infantry Company and a detachment of Special Forces.

State-of-the-art
equipment for surveillance and tracking, specialist weapons for close quarter
battle with terrorists, explosives and IED detectors, as well as the latest
communication equipment are being fielded by both sides.

Both sides will
train, plan and execute a series of combined tactical drills for neutralization
of likely threats that may be encountered in UN peace keeping operations. The
strength of troops taking part in the exercise from both the sides is also
sizeable and chances are that culmination of the exercise would be in the form
of display of techniques acquired by both the sides before a chosen gathering
of military officials from both the sides and members of the media, said a
senior army official of the Garud division.

Amidst conflicting
reports of withdrawal by Chinese troops from Chumar area along the Line of
Actual Control, the Ministry of Defence insisted there was “no change” in the
position on the ground. Army chief Gen Dalbir Singh, meanwhile, met Prime
Minister Narendra Modi and is learnt to have briefed him about the situation.

Sources in the Defence
Ministry told The Indian Express that the Chinese troops,of the size of a battalion, continued to
occupy Chumar “well within the Indian territory… as of Friday evening”. They,
however, elaborated that the two sides have “adjusted to logistically convenient”
positions within the same area. There is no change in the posture on either
side, they maintained.

Modi had on
Thursday called for solving the boundary dispute between the two countries
during the visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping.

The PM’s meeting
with Gen Singh was described by Defence Ministry sources as a routine briefing.
“This is a routine briefing. Matters of relevance are discussed during such
meetings,” an official said.

The sources said
the situation in Demchok, where the Chinese had pitched tents well within the
Indian territory, too remained unchanged. “The same number of Chinese troops
continue to be on our side of the LAC. They have moved back a little, but that
appears to be a lateral movement, more with the view of occupying a convenient
position.. There is absolutely no change in their posturing,” said a senior MoD
official.

About 1,000
Chinese troops have been occupying the position which India says lies well
within its territory. Given that the build-up is of almost two battalions, the
Indian response is said to be unprecedented. “Their numbers are large but the
Indian response has been unprecedented as we have built up more number of
troops,” an official said.

The Indian side is
also reported to be in an advantageous position given the availability of
resources and additional troops, whereas the logistic lines on the Chinese side
are “stretched”. Ladakh MP T Chhewang said: “I have taken up the matter with
the Home Ministry as it is affecting the livelihood of people in Ladakh.”

Indian and Chinese
troops have been on a week-long standoff in Chumar sector, about 300km
southeast of Leh. It began when the Indian side objected to the Chinese
constructing a road on their side of the LAC. In Demchok, Chinese nomads have
pitched tents as a sign of protest against a canal being constructed by India.
While the canal was being constructed under National Rural Employment Guarantee
Act, the Chinese have alleged that it is being done for military purposes.